Forensic Services – Internship in Clinical Psychology at St. Peter

Background

The Psychology Department at Forensic Services (FS) in St. Peter offers a doctoral internship program for students completing their doctoral degree from APA-accredited Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology Programs.

Patients come to FS on an involuntary basis, sometimes being civilly committed by the courts for evaluation or treatment. FS also serves as a statewide treatment facility for persons found not guilty or unable to stand trial by reason of mental illness. FS is comprised of secure and non-secure inpatient psychiatric units. FS treats a patient population that is both clinically and demographically diverse. Our patients have a very wide range of diagnoses, covering virtually all the major categories of the DSM-5TR. The most common primary diagnoses include schizophrenia spectrum disorders, mood disorders (e.g., bipolar disorder), and personality disorders (e.g., antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder). Some of our patients have committed sexual offenses and have corresponding paraphilia diagnoses. Additionally, many patients have co-occurring substance use disorders, neurocognitive disorders, and anxiety disorders.

Overview

Forensic Services (FS) is a division of the Minnesota Direct Care and Treatment administration. It provides efficient and effective delivery of forensic expertise throughout the state. An intern who chooses the FS Doctoral Internship Program may provide services across a variety of units within the Forensic Mental Health Program (FMHP) which is a 350 patient-bed psychiatric facility that provides long-term, interdisciplinary treatment to forensic populations.

Program Philosophy and Vision

The FS Doctoral Internship Program is rooted in a practitioner-scholar model of training in professional psychology. This training model emphasizes the integration of psychological science and clinical practice. Interns receive education in empirically supported and evidence-based treatment, person-centered thinking, and the application of those approaches in a forensic setting. Interns are trained to use an investigative approach to clinical practice, using knowledge of current professional literature to select and implement the most efficacious clinical procedures, and to objectively evaluate treatment outcomes. Thus, an appreciation of clinical practice based on the empirical evidence is achieved.

Diversity Mission Statement, Training Climate and Commitment to Antiracism

The FS Doctoral Internship Program strives to create and sustain a training program where interns and faculty of all backgrounds feel welcome, supported, and valued for their individual and cultural differences.  

To Apply

Prospective internship candidates must apply through the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). Visit the APPIC website for membership and application information. 

For More Information

Please review our current brochure for additional information. You can also contact the Internship Training Director, Dr. Jess Garcia, at Jessica.R.Garcia@state.mn.us or call 507-987-2737